Water water, everywhere......

[colin]

With almost biblical levels of flooding, how are the river clubs doing? A few years back Evesham Sailing Club was finished off by floods. Last year Cam was underwater. We have active fleets on the Thames and Severn and no doubt other rivers are affected. I guess even if these clubs are not underwater, there will be a considerable delay before it is safe to start racing.

Would any of you care to report what is happening on your patch?

Colin

[jonathantwite]

Being down stream of Nottingham city centre, we at Nottingham SC have not had any problems with flooding this year as they closely the river levels through the city. We have had horrific currents though.

We only have unofficial racing from January to March and so a few brave soles have ventured out on the couple of slightly better Saturdays we've had. However, this has been put paid to for some time due to the happenings over the weekend of the Steve Nicholson trophy. As happened in that race, our club racers started in a light wind and then was hit by a massive squall. The only boat near the club got of the water quick when he saw it coming, but every other boat was was down river and got damaged by capsizing in the current. The 3 lasers and an Albacore bent their masts on the bottom and the Solo's mast was snapped in half. That has put most people off for a bit and I don't think we will have any racing till the weather greatly improves and the current dies down again.

I am yet to get Painted Lady out for a race - she is waiting for some considerably better weather...

[casablanca]

Even though we don't sail on a river the proximity of the Leam to our site can cause problems (it borders 2 sides of the site). Fortunately this year it hasn't prevented access to the club, it was creeping onto the pedestrian access one Sunday. The other problem we have when the river floods is that Severn Trent won't pump in from the Leam & we have low water levels but even that hasn't been too bad.

[pegasus]

As of last night the water level was over the banks, creeping round our race hut, but the club house and dinghy park largely unaffected. We have been sailing our winter series as normal, but not without a few scares.

On Wednesday our main pontoons decided to float away but our S.O.A.P.S.rescued it yesterday and re-established its link to dry land. Earlier this year "Sunken Island" really did sink and the bird sanctuary that was held in place by a scaffold tube floated off its mooring and has now lodged itself in some trees! All we have to do now is avoid putting the aforesaid scaffold tube through our boats.

Personally have not been out as I have had to do a few temporary repairs until the weather gets better.

I am just pleased I dint sale at Desborough at this time Look on the RYA website for a photo of their club house and dinghy park, totally submerged. Lets hope they can get things sorted out quickly for the season as soon as the water levels drop.

Simon
BM847

[jonathantwite]

I hear that Queen Mary SC is allowing sailors of local flooded clubs to sail at their club until the weather improves. I guess that a few clubs around the country are doing likewise.

[mulgabill]

At Frampton we have sailing suspended - Until Futher Notice - as we have sandbags 3 or 4 high along the lake edge, in a good neighbourly attempt to minimise flooding n the village.

This could jeopardise our Laser open in early March, so I'm beginning to feel glad we didn't schedule the Moths that early.

All the best TONY

[colin]

Hunts seems to have escaped the deluge. However, the high winds did make a few trees unstable. Fortunately we have the two weeks prior to the Dinghy Show as work party days so I was let loose with my chain saw.
From the sound of it, a fair number of clubs have sustained major damage to both facilities and boats.

I hope you have all come through this without harm.

Colin

[joneurope]

Severn SC (On the avon), Tewkesbury SC (Again, on the avon) and Avon SC (On the Severn) have all been hit quite badly. Severn & Tewkesbury still have dry(ish) areas where the boats are safe(again...ish), but Avon SC (Where my Phantom is) is totally under water, apparantly my Phantom is burrowing its way into a hedge in the pub next door- No chance of getting to her as the road leading to the club is flooded for about half a mile.

Never mind.....the joys of sailing on the River!

Jon Cooper :-P

[colin]

I like the idea of having Severn SC on the Avon and Avon SC on the Severn. I suppose to complete the set there should be an Avon SC on the Avon and a Severn SC on the Severn or is that just plain silly?

Colin

[richardbroughton]

Desborough was nearly washed away ! four feet of water in the changing rooms ..boat park also badly flooded, cruiser jetties dragged away , and access road not even passable in waders.

Recovering now and sailed again this Sunday with the help of an emergency Sport England flood relief grant

Richard